Administer anesthesia, monitor patient's vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia. May assist anesthesiologists, surgeons, other physicians, or dentists. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
<ul><li>Manage patients' airway or pulmonary status, using techniques such as endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, respiratory therapy, and extubation.</li><li>Select, prepare, or use equipment, monitors, supplies, or drugs for the administration of anesthetics.</li><li>Monitor patients' responses, including skin color, pupil dilation, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, ventilation, or urine output, using invasive and noninvasive techniques.</li><li>Select, order, or administer anesthetics, adjuvant drugs, accessory drugs, fluids or blood products as necessary.</li><li>Perform pre-anesthetic screenings, including physical evaluations and patient interviews, and document results.</li><li>Respond to emergency situations by providing airway management, administering emergency fluids or drugs, or using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques.</li><li>Develop anesthesia care plans.</li><li>Obtain informed consent from patients for anesthesia procedures.</li><li>Assess patients' medical histories to predict anesthesia response.</li><li>Select, order, or administer pre-anesthetic medications.</li><li>Perform or evaluate the results of diagnostic tests, such as radiographs (x-rays) and electrocardiograms (EKGs).</li><li>Perform or manage regional anesthetic techniques, such as local, spinal, epidural, caudal, nerve blocks and intravenous blocks.</li><li>Prepare prescribed solutions and administer local, intravenous, spinal, or other anesthetics, following specified methods and procedures.</li><li>Administer post-anesthesia medications or fluids to support patients' cardiovascular systems.</li><li>Evaluate patients' post-surgical or post-anesthesia responses, taking appropriate corrective actions or requesting consultation if complications occur.</li><li>Select and prescribe post-anesthesia medications or treatments to patients.</li><li>Calibrate and test anesthesia equipment.</li><li>Discharge patients from post-anesthesia care.</li><li>Insert peripheral or central intravenous catheters.</li><li>Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.</li><li>Request anesthesia equipment repairs, adjustments, or safety tests.</li><li>Insert arterial catheters or perform arterial punctures to obtain arterial blood samples.</li><li>Instruct nurses, residents, interns, students, or other staff on topics such as anesthetic techniques, pain management and emergency responses.</li><li>Disassemble and clean anesthesia equipment.</li></ul>